Motion-checking device.



No. 692,876. Y .Patented'Feh- Il, |902.

H. LEMP. MUTION CHEGKING DEVIGE'.

(Application led Nov. 17, 1900,)

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(No Model.)

VUNITED STATES APATENT OFFICE.

HERMANN LEMP, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ELIHU THOMSON, OFSIVAMPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS.`

MOTION-CHECKING'DEVICE.

srnerrrcn'rlon forming para of Letters Patent No. 692,876, datedFebruary 11, 1902.

' Application-tiled November 17, 1900. Serial No, 36,868. (No model.)

To all whom it 11i/Cty concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANN LEMP, a citi- 'zen of the United States,residing at Lynn,

' other and which are controlled by a valve actuated by anoperating-handle. As the handle is moved from a given position it firstopens the valve and then moves one member with respect to the other. Inarrangements of this kind there is of necessitya small amount of lostmotion.

The present invention contemplates motionchecking devices of `the samegeneral character; but instead of utilizing the first part of thevmovement of the operating-lever to open the valve the parts are soarranged that it is' necessary to give the handle a differentmovement toopen the valve thanis required to move a part or partswith respect toanother part or parts. With such a device there is no lost motionbetween'the operating-handle and the member or element to be moved.

Another advantage inr this construction resides in the fact that thelocking mechanism can be readily rendered inoperative if for any reas/onit is so desired.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an embodimentof Vmy invention, Figure lis a vertical section ot' a mo- Fig. 2 is adetail viewv of the operating-handle therefor, showing certain of theparts in section. Fig. 3 is a detail view in elevation of part of thehandle. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the handle.u Figs. 5 and 6 arerespectively a plan and'side elevation' of the piston. Fig. 7 isaverticalsection through the piston and controlling-valve. Fig. 8 is asectional View of the piston, showing the controlling-valve in a closedposition. Fig. 9 is a vthreaded plug H.

horizont-al sectional view taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 1 looking inthe direction of the arrow. Fig.'10 is a sectional view of a slightmodification; Fig. 1l is a horizontal sectional view of the piston andvalve of the type illustrated in Fig. 10 and shown in the operativeposition. Fig. 12 is asection of a slight modificatio'n of thesteering-handle. Fig. 13 is a plan of the same, and Fig. 14 shows themotion-checking device applied to the steering` mechanism of a` vehicle.

Referring t0 Fig. 1, A represents a body or casing, and mounted formovement therein is a piston B. Situated above the piston is a chamberedcover C, which closes the casing above the piston.' (Extendingdownwardly from the cover is 'an extension C', which `is .curved on itsinner wall concentric with the center of the piston, and the outerk wallisA shaped to conform to the casing A. The piston is mountedeccentric-ally with respect to the casing and, asl shown, two chambers DD are provided. These are filled with a normally quiescent body offluid-such as glycerin, for

example. I have found that to be a very satisfactory fluid, since itdoes not freeze in Winter; but oil or other fluid may be employed ifdesired. The casing is supported by lugs E, `formed on the frontthereof. When the check- .ing device is applied to a vehicle, asillus-`trated in Fig. 14, the lugs are clamped around lthe fixed, axle F, vandwhen applied to other apparatus the casing is connected to one partandthe piston to another, the parts being so arranged that they arecapable of movement with respect to each other.

The piston B consistsof a h ub having shoulders formed therein and asolid wing or blade B', which extends at right angles thereto.' Y

The hub of the piston is chambered out to reoeive the valve G, and theopening at the bot-' tom of this chamber 'is closed .by a` screw- Thechamber in which the valve is located comm unicateswith a'pa'ssageformedin the casting() through anrop'ening 95 I. This passage I forms arelief, so that the valve may readily be raised. In addition to thisother means are provided, which will be hereinafter described. Onopposite sidesof the piston are ports J When the valve is IOO in theoperative position, fluid can flow from the chamber D on one side oi'the piston to chamber D on the other.

The valve G for controlling the operation of the device consists of apiston-like piece having a groove G formed in its periphery and acentralpassage G2. The stock forming the upper end ofthe passage isscrew-threaded to receive the end of the valve-operating rod K. K issomewhat enlarged and is provided with a central opening whichcommunicates with the vertically-extending passage Gr2 in the valve. Inaddition to this are holes L, which communicate with the chambercontaining the piston. This arrangement acts as a relief for the fluidabove the valve when it is actuated. Owing to the construction of theparts, the chamber above the valve is always filled with the same fluidas is contained in the chamber of the casting C and in the chambers Dand D'. As the valve is raised it acts like a piston, andA the iiuid isforced from the valve-chamber through the passage I and also through theholes L into the passage G2, and thence to that portion of the chamberbelow the valve. Vhen the valve is in the position shown in Figs. '7 and8, the parts are locked against movement; but when the valve is raised,as is shown in Figs. l and l), iiuid is permitted to How from thechamber D into the chamber D. The operatinghandle M is pivotallyconnected to a clamp M, that is secured to the upper end of thesteering-tube N. rl`he lower end of the tube N is connected to thepiston-hub by means of a flexible connection N. The object of thisflexible connection is to permit the swinging steering-handle and thesteering-tube to move with the body of the vehicle independent of thecasing and piston, which are secured to the running-gear or framework.The valve-rod K is inolosed by the tube N and is also' provided with aieXible connection K for the same reason. As illustrated, this flexibleconnection, as well as connection N',

consists of a universal joint; but any suitable form of exibleconnection may be employed in either or both instances, and I aim toembrace such constructions in the claims. The upper end of the valve-rodis provided with rack-teeth, with which the teeth of the pinion O mesh,which pinion is rigidly mounted on a shaft that is actuated by theswinging operating-handle M. In order to close the piston-controllingvalve G whenever the pressure of the hand is removed from theoperating-lever, a coil-spring P is provided, which tends at all timesto lift the handle, and consequently rotate the pinion O in a manner toclose the valve. In operating the check the handle M is first depressed,which raises the valve to the position shown in Fig. 1, after which thepiston and the parts attached thereto may be moved. As soon as thepressure is removed from the handle the spring P will raise the handleand close the valve. After The lower end of the operating valve-rod thehandle has been depressed to raise the valve it is employed to move themembers A and B with respect to each other, and while this is takingplace the valve is inoperativethat is to say, it was set by the originalmovement of the handle. On the other hand, the valve may be actuatedwithout changing the angular position of the members or steeringwheel bysimply moving the handle up and down or by twisting it, as illustratedin Figs. 10 to 13.

Vhen for any reason it is considered desirable to operate the mechanismwithout using the checking device, it may be done by maintaining thehandle in the depressed position.

This might be desirable in a crowded street,

where the steering movements were comparatively sudden and abrupt. Onthe other hand, when the 'vehicle is traveling in a section of countrywhere the path of travel is comparatively unobstructed the pressure maybe removed from the handle and the check will hold the parts in theiroperative position, and this without making any change in the structureor arrangement ot parts.

Referring to Figs. 10 and 11, I have shown a slight modification of myinvention, in which the valve G is rotated from operative to aninoperative position instead of being moved vertically, asis the case inthe previous figures. The upper end of the valve-rod K is provided witha bevel-gear, which meshes with a similar gear carried by theoperatinghandle M. The steering is accomplished through thesteering-tube N (illustrated in dotted lines) and the handle M. Thevalve Gis tapered, so as to make a working fit with the taperedvalve-seat` formed in the piston. The valve is normally retained lin theraised position by means of the coiled extensionspring Q. The lower endof the chamber containing the valve is closed by a screwthreaded plug H.As illustrated in Fig. 11, the valve is in a position to permit fluid toflow from the chamber D into the chamber D. Twistingthe handle more orless will Vary the valve-opening, and consequently the rate of transferof Vthe iiuid in the main chambers. In certain aspects a construction ofthis kind presents advantages over the one previously described in thatit is unnecessary to provide relief-passages, since there is nopiston-like action of the valve. In operating the device the handle M istwisted in either direction from a given position, which in turntransmits motion to the valve-rod K through the bevel-gear. As Vthevalve is turned the passage G comes into line with the openings or portsJin the passage or moves out of line with the ports, depending upon thedirection in which the handle is twisted. When the valve has been set inthe position shown in Fig. 11, the handle may be swung around the axisof the steering-tube N as a center, and as long as the valve is keptopen the moving of the members with respect to each other may be freelyaccomplished. In order to loclr ICO IOS

IIO

, that are carried bythe fixed axle or support .angular position of the.the parts," the handle is twisted in'a directiont which will AclosetheI passage between 'the chambers D and D.

Referring -to Fig. 14, I have illustrated my invention in -connectionwith the `steeringwheels of a vehicle. R represents thesteering-wheels,which are mounted on short axles F. Secured to the short axles arelevers S, which in turn are connected to the lever T, that is secured tothe moving part of the checking device. vIn the present instance thepiston is the moving element; but it is to be understood that the pistoncould be made stationary and the cylinder arranged to move. The casing Ais rigidly secured to the `front axle, and as the handle M is operatedthe wheels .will be freely changed.

What I claimas new, and desire to secure by' Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-

l. In a motion-checking device,-the combi- "uationvof members movablewithrespect to each other, a body of normally 'quiescent fluid acting asa lock between the members, a positively-actuated Valve for controllingtheaction of the fluid, ahandle which is rigidly connected to one of theelements and imparts movement thereto, and a positive mechanicalconnection between the handle and the valve.

2. In a motion-checking device, the combination of members movable withrespect to cach other, a body of normally quiescent tiuid actingas alock between the members, a positively-actuatedvalve for controlling theaction of the fluid, a handle which is-rigidlycon nected to one of theelements and isposi'tively connected to the valve and so arranged thatwhen it is moved in one direction it actuates the valve and' when moved.in a different direction moves one of the members.

3. In a motion-checking device, the combination of members movable withrespect to each other, a body of normally quiescent iiuid acting as alock between the members, a positively-actuated valve for controllingthe action of the i'luid,'a swinging handle rigidly connected to one ofthe members and capable of moving in a horizontal as well as a verticalplane, and a mechanical connection between the valve and-the handlewhich is operative during the movementof the handle in one plane but notin the other.

et. In a motion-checking device, the combination of members movable withrespect to each other, a bodyof normally quiescent Huid actingas a lockbetween the members, a positively-actuated valve for controlling theactionv of the fluid, a swinging handle rigidly connected to one of themembers and capable of moving in a horizontal as well as a verticalplane, and a jointed connection between the handle and the valve whichis operative only when the handle is moved in the vertical plane.

5.l lIn a motion-checking device, the combination of two members movablewith respect to each other, a body of -normally quiescent 'fluid actingas a lock between the members,

a valve mounted in oneof the members`,a handle -for moving ythe'membercarrying the 'valve,' and a mechanical connection between members, atube connected to and actuating; one of the members, anoperating-handlese cured to the tube,and a valve-operating means whichpasses through the tube for controlling the valve.y

7. Asan article of manufacture, a motionchecking device, comprising twomain members capable of movement with respect to each other, apositively-actuated valve carriedby the movable member, a tube securedto the moving member, a valve-operating rod which passes through thetube, and actuating means for the movable member and the valverod.

8. In a motion-checking'device, the combination of two elements movablewith respect to each other, a valve carried by one of the elements, atube rigidly .connected to the valvef carrying element,"anoperating-handle secured to the tube, and a valve-operating rod I whichpasses through the tube.

v 9, In a steering-check for vehicles, the combination of a membersecured to a xed part ot the vehicle, a member moving with asteering-wheel, a device for locking the members together, a vtubularactuator, a flexible connection between the actuator and thel movingmember, a means for actuating the lock,"and a exible connection betweensaid means and the lock. e

10. In a steering-check for vehicles, the combination of a stationarymember, a moving member, a device for locking the members together, atube, a jointed connection between the tube and one ofthe members, a'means for controlling the action of the lock, a v

rod passing through the tube, and a jointed IOO connection between therod and the lock-con-- trolling means. lL'In a steering-check forvehicles, the combination of a steering-wheel, Na pair'of members ,whichare movable with respect to 1 eachother, a double-acting lock betweenthe members, a steering-tube connectedto the'A movable member, a meansexten/ding through the tube for actuating the lock, a handle secured tothe tube for moving the steeringwheel, and a connection betweenthehandle and the lock-actuating means which is inoperative in so faras thevalve isconcernedwhen the steering-wheel is being moved, but isoperative when the handle is moved in a' manner other than that requiredto steer.

12. In a motion-'checking device, the com-v bination of a movable and astationary mem'- ber, a lock` for securing the members against relativemotion, comprising a `body of vnormally quiescent fluid, anda valve forcon-y trolling the lock, comprising a piston-like structure having arelief-passage through which a certain amount of the Huid is transferredwhen the valve is actuated, and other passages permitting the main bodyof fluid to circulate, and means for positively actuating the valve.

13. In a motion-checking device, the coinbination of a casing, a pistonmounted therein, a valve-chamber formed in the piston, a piston-valvemounted therein, a relief-passage shunting and aiording a relief for thepistonvalve, and other passages for permitting iuid to pass from oneside of the piston to the other, and a rod for positively actuating thevalve.

14. In a motion-checking device, the combination of two members movablewith re HERMANN LEMP.

\Vitnesses:

ALEX. F. MACDONALD, DUGALD MCKILLOP.

